The present invention relates to firefighter coats and, more particularly, to firefighter coats having multiple components which are separable from each other.
In order to comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, firefighter coats used in the United States must include three components: an outer shell of flame resistant material, typically an aramid fiber such as NOMEX or KEVLAR (NOMEX and KEVLAR are registered trademarks of E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Inc.), and an inner liner having a moisture barrier, preferably of GORE-TEX (a registered trademark of W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.) and a thermal barrier made of a felt or batting of aramid fibers. In order to facilitate the care and laundering of such garments, the outer shell typically is separable from the inner liner combination of moisture barrier and thermal barrier. A problem with having such separable components is that liquid moisture easily enters the open sleeve ends of the coat during use and flows between the moisture barrier and thermal barrier which soaks the thermal barrier and causes discomfort to the wearer. Liquid moisture is prevented from entering directly between the wearer and the thermal barrier typically by ribbed cuffs which protrude from the sleeve ends of the thermal barrier.
Accordingly, efforts have been made to design firefighter coats which have sleeve connections between the outer shell and inner liner which discourages the flow of liquid moisture through the ends of the sleeves and between the moisture barrier and thermal barrier. One example is disclosed in Ehring U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,753. That patent discloses a firefighter coat in which the inner liner includes a wristlet assembly that attaches to the sleeve ends of the inner liner by hook and loop connections and protrudes outwardly through the open end of the shell sleeves. The outer shell includes restraining tab elements which are stitched to the cuff of the sleeve end and which attach to the inner liner by snaps. While such a construction affords some thermal and liquid moisture protection for the arms of the wearer, the hook and loop fastener connection is insufficient to prevent liquid moisture from flowing within the thermal barrier completely, and the snap connections also are less than perfect in preventing liquid moisture from flowing between the shell and moisture barrier.
Another design is disclosed in Ehring U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,670. That patent discloses a cuff and sleeve assembly in which a cuff extension attaches by snaps to the end of the inner liner and includes an inner sleeve which extends from the cuff extension to a flap formed in the hem attached to the outer shell sleeve. Such constructions tend to be overly complicated and expensive, and require increased maintenance.
Accordingly, there is a need for a firefighter coat having a reservoir cuff design which is simple in construction, inexpensive, easy to maintain and is highly effective in preventing liquid moisture from flowing up the sleeve of the wearer.